US11124910B2 - Method of preparing a tufting process for tufting a fabric, preferably carpet - Google Patents

Method of preparing a tufting process for tufting a fabric, preferably carpet Download PDF

Info

Publication number
US11124910B2
US11124910B2 US16/332,941 US201716332941A US11124910B2 US 11124910 B2 US11124910 B2 US 11124910B2 US 201716332941 A US201716332941 A US 201716332941A US 11124910 B2 US11124910 B2 US 11124910B2
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
color
yarns
tufting
color mixing
pile
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Active, expires
Application number
US16/332,941
Other languages
English (en)
Other versions
US20190249347A1 (en
Inventor
Koen Callewaert
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Vandewiele NV
Original Assignee
Vandewiele NV
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Vandewiele NV filed Critical Vandewiele NV
Assigned to NV MICHEL VAN DE WIELE reassignment NV MICHEL VAN DE WIELE ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: CALLEWAERT, Koen
Assigned to VANDEWIELE NV reassignment VANDEWIELE NV CHANGE OF NAME (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: NV MICHEL VAN DE WIELE
Publication of US20190249347A1 publication Critical patent/US20190249347A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US11124910B2 publication Critical patent/US11124910B2/en
Active legal-status Critical Current
Adjusted expiration legal-status Critical

Links

Images

Classifications

    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D05—SEWING; EMBROIDERING; TUFTING
    • D05C—EMBROIDERING; TUFTING
    • D05C15/00—Making pile fabrics or articles having similar surface features by inserting loops into a base material
    • D05C15/04—Tufting
    • D05C15/08—Tufting machines
    • D05C15/26—Tufting machines with provision for producing patterns
    • D05C15/34—Tufting machines with provision for producing patterns by inserting loops of different nature or colour
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D05—SEWING; EMBROIDERING; TUFTING
    • D05C—EMBROIDERING; TUFTING
    • D05C15/00—Making pile fabrics or articles having similar surface features by inserting loops into a base material
    • D05C15/04—Tufting
    • D05C15/08—Tufting machines
    • D05C15/26—Tufting machines with provision for producing patterns
    • D05C15/32—Tufting machines with provision for producing patterns by altering the loop length

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a method of preparing a tufting process for tufting a fabric, for example, for tufting a carpet.
  • the invention further relates to a method of tufting a fabric by using such a method of preparing a tufting process.
  • the needles of a needle bar of this tufting machine When tufting a fabric, for example, a carpet, with a tufting machine, the needles of a needle bar of this tufting machine have respective yarns associated therewith. By selecting the colors of the yarns associated with the needles provided on the needle bar, a fabric tufted with the tufting machine having such a specific threading will have a specific color appearance primarily defined by the colors of the yarns associated with the needles.
  • this object is achieved by a method of preparing a tufting process for tufting a fabric, preferably carpet, having regions of different color appearance by using at least two different kinds of yarns, yarns of different kinds of yarns alternately following each other in a needle bar longitudinal direction of a needle bar of a tufting machine, comprising the steps of:
  • the color appearance of a fabric tufted on the basis of this method is not only influenced by the selected different kinds of yarns, but also by using particular tufting aspect instructions and thereby generating tuft piles in line with these instructions in association with the different color mixing values of the different color regions of the color pattern representation.
  • Combining the use of particular kinds of yarns with the use of particular tufting aspect instructions leads to a broadened spectrum of the colors which seem to be present in the fabric.
  • An essential influence on the color appearance of a fabric to be tufted can be obtained if the color-related tufting aspect instruction indicates a pile height of a pile to be tufted.
  • the number of color regions is equal to or less than the predetermined number of color mixing values.
  • Step c) may comprise generating the color pattern representation on the basis of an image representation having image regions of different color, the number of differently colored image regions exceeding the predetermined number of color mixing values.
  • a photograph in particular a black-and-white photograph, can be used as an image representation being the basis for the color pattern representation.
  • step b) may comprise assigning to each color mixing value a separate yarn-related tufting aspect instruction for each one of the different kinds of yarns.
  • the method may be arranged such that
  • the color mixing value defining the first end of the color mixing value range may be a minimum color mixing value
  • the color mixing value defining the second end of the color mixing value range may be a maximum color mixing value
  • the yarn-related tufting aspect instructions assigned with these color mixing values may indicate different pile heights.
  • different kinds of yarns may differ from each other in yarn color.
  • the yarns of one kind of yarns may be white yarns, while the yarns of another kind of yarns may be black yarns.
  • the yarns do not differ from each other.
  • all the yarns of one kind of yarns for example, may be white yarns and all the yarns of the other kind of yarns may be black yarns.
  • the method of the present invention may further comprise generating a tufting machine control file on the basis of the color-related tufting aspect instructions associated with all the color regions.
  • the tufting machine control file may be provided such that, in association with each pile to be generated, on the basis of the kind of yarns to be used for making a particular pile and the color-related tufting aspect instruction associated with this pile, the yarn-related tufting aspect instruction associated with the kind of yarns to be used for making this pile is selected.
  • a further aspect of preparing a method of tufting a fabric comprises the selection and/or provision of a tufting machine provided with such a threading of needles of a needle bar of the tufting machine that yarns of the different kinds of yarns follow each other in a needle bar longitudinal direction in an alternating manner.
  • the present invention further relates to a method of tufting a fabric, comprising the steps of:
  • FIG. 1 shows a pattern representation of a fabric to be tufted having three color regions
  • FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of rectangle II depicted in FIG. 1 showing the color mixing values assigned with two of the color regions;
  • FIGS. 3 a -3 c show the tufting aspect instructions for two yarns of two different kinds of yarns associated with different color mixing values.
  • the yarns of the two different kinds of yarns differ in color.
  • the yarns of one of the kinds of yarns may be white yarns, while the yarns of the other kind of yarns may be black yarns.
  • the yarns preferably do not differ from each other, which, for example, means that all yarns of the one kind of yarns are white yarns, while all yarns of the other kind of yarns are black yarns.
  • the different kinds of yarns may alternatively or additionally differ in other aspects than the yarn color.
  • the yarns of the different kinds of yarns may differ in thickness, material, surface structure and any other physical parameter influencing the optical appearance of such yarns.
  • FIG. 1 shows a color pattern representation 11 of a fabric, for example, a carpet, to be tufted.
  • the color pattern representation 11 of FIG. 1 shows an outline 12 corresponding to the outline of the fabric to be tufted.
  • the color pattern representation 11 shows three color regions 14 , 16 and 18 .
  • Each one of the color regions 14 , 16 , 18 indicates a region of the fabric to be tufted which is intended to have a uniform color appearance.
  • color region 14 may be a color region in which the fabric to be tufted is intended to have a white color appearance
  • color region 16 may be a region in which the fabric to be tufted is intended to have a black color appearance.
  • Color region 18 may be a region of the fabric to be tufted which is intended to have a gray appearance. It is to be noted that, within a fabric or a color pattern representation constituting the basis for tufting a fabric, such a color region may comprise a plurality of areas distributed over the fabric and not being in contact with each other but being separated from each other by one or a plurality of other color regions. However, all these areas of one and the same color region are intended to have the same color appearance.
  • the color pattern representation shown in FIG. 1 may be obtained starting out from an image representation, for example, a black-and-white picture, having a wide variety of differently colored regions and more or less smooth color transitions between these differently colored regions.
  • an image representation for example, a black-and-white picture
  • the number of differently colored regions is reduced such as not to exceed a predetermined number of color mixing values. Reducing the number of differently colored regions can be done by any known picture processing software provided for reducing the number of shades, for example, shades of gray, if the image representation is a black-and-white picture.
  • a plurality of color mixing values is defined, each color mixing value representing a different ratio between the presence of one color and the presence of at least one other color.
  • the color mixing values may be represented by different shades of gray.
  • These color mixing values may have different numbers associated therewith such that, for example, a color mixing value indicated by the number “0” stands for the darkest possible color appearance, i.e. an essentially black color appearance, if black and white yarns are used in the different kinds of yarns.
  • the color mixing value indicated by number “20” may be used for the brightest color appearance, for example, an essentially white color appearance, if black and white yarns are used for the different kinds of yarns.
  • the numbers “1”, “2”, “3” . . . between “0” and “20”, in this particular case, may be representative of different shades of gray between black and white.
  • the color pattern representation 11 generated starting out from an image representation is provided such as not to contain more than 21 differently colored regions.
  • the color pattern representation 11 can contain more than 21 regions, if there are separated regions which are intended to have the same color appearance and therefor to have the same color mixing value associated therewith.
  • FIG. 2 shows the transition between the two color regions 14 and 18 shown in rectangle II in FIG. 1 .
  • color region 14 is intended to have the brightest color appearance, i.e. the essentially white color appearance
  • the color mixing value “20” is associated with this color region 14 .
  • color region 18 is intended to have a medium bright color appearance, i.e. a not too dark and not too bright gray color appearance
  • the color mixing value “10” is associated with this entire color region 18 .
  • each square showing one of the numbers “20” and “10” indicates one stitch to be carried out during a tufting process and therefore indicates one pile which will be present in the fabric to be tufted.
  • FIG. 2 indicate all those piles which will be made by one and the same needle provided on a needle bar 22 of a tufting machine, which needles are positioned side by side following each other in a needle bar longitudinal direction L.
  • the threading of the needles of the needle bar 22 is such that yarns of the one kind of yarns and yarns of the other kind of yarns are provided in an alternating manner.
  • a needle having a black yarn b threaded therethrough is positioned between two needles having white yarns w threaded therethrough and vice versa.
  • the piles provided within one row may be made of different yarns and therefore can have different colors.
  • a tufting machine having two needle bars extending substantially parallel to each other in the needle bar longitudinal direction may be used.
  • One of the needle bars may have the yarns of the one kind of yarns threaded through the needles thereof, and the other needle bar may have the yarns of the other kind of yarns threaded through the needles thereof.
  • immediately adjacent rows of piles may be tufted by alternately using yarns of the one kind of yarns and yarn of the other kind of yarns threaded through the needles of the two different needle bars.
  • FIGS. 3 a -3 c show the association of respective color-related tufting aspect instructions C with color mixing values.
  • the color-related tufting aspect instruction C 20 associated with color mixing value “20”, which, in the range of color mixing values, is the maximum color mixing value comprises a separate yarn-related tufting aspect instruction Y in association with each one of the two different kinds of yarns, i.e. in association with the white yarns w on the one hand and the black yarns b on the other hand.
  • the relevant tufting aspect is the pile height
  • each yarn-related tufting aspect instruction Y is indicative of how high a pile has to be.
  • the color-related tufting aspect instruction C 20 associated with the color mixing value “20” comprises the yarn-related tufting aspect instruction Y 20 w associated with the white yarns w and the yarn-related tufting aspect instruction Y 20 b associated with the black yarns b.
  • these yarn-related tufting aspect instructions Y 20 w , Y 20 b are represented by high and low loops starting out from a substrate 24 indicative of a high pile, in particular a high loop pile, and a low pile, in particular a low loop pile.
  • color mixing value “20” is indicative of a very bright color appearance and therefore the yarn-related tufting aspect instruction Y 20 w associated with the white yarns w may be indicative of a maximum pile height max, while the yarn-related tufting aspect instruction Y 20 b associated with the black yarns b may be indicative of a minimum pile height min.
  • the maximum pile height max may be twice the minimum pile height min. Due to this substantial difference in pile height, the color appearance in color region 14 will be dominated by the white piles, while the black piles will be substantially hidden between the higher white piles.
  • FIG. 3 b shows the color-related tufting aspect instruction C 0 associated with color mixing value “0” comprising yarn-related tufting aspect instructions Y 0 b and Y 0 w .
  • color mixing value “0” being the minimum color mixing value is indicative of a very dark color appearance
  • yarn-related tufting aspect instruction Y 0 b indicates the generation of a pile having the maximum pile height max
  • yarn-related tufting aspect instruction Y 0 w indicates the generation of a pile having the minimum pile height min.
  • the color appearance will be dominated by the color of the yarns providing the high piles, i.e. the black yarns, in color region 16 .
  • FIG. 3 c shows a color-related tufting aspect instruction C 10 associated with the intermediate color mixing value “10”.
  • Color-related tufting aspect instruction C 10 comprises the two yarn-related tufting aspect instructions Y 10 w and Y 10 b , both indicating the generation of piles having the same intermediate height med. Therefore, none of the two yarn colors will be predominant in an area having the color mixing value “10” associated therewith. Such an area is depicted by color region 18 in FIG. 1 .
  • P w is the pile height of the piles generated by using white yarns w;
  • P b is the pile height of piles generated by using black yarns b;
  • CMV is the color mixing value selected from the value range “0”, “1”, “2” . . . “19”, “20”;
  • max is the maximum pile height
  • min is the minimum pile height.
  • the information relating to the color mixing values associated with particular color regions, and therefore associated with particular stitches to be carried out will be combined with the information about the yarn threading of the needle bar of a tufting machine which has been selected for carrying out the tufting process. If, for example, the yarn threading shown in FIG.
  • the yarn-related tufting aspect instruction of a respective color-related tufting aspect instruction associated with the particular kind of yarn used, in association with a particular needle and therefore used for generating a particular row of piles will be used in the tufting machine control file for making sure that, when tufting a fabric and carrying out a particular stitch, the pile generated will have the pile height defined by the color mixing value and the associated color-related tufting aspect instruction and the kind of yarn used in association with this needle.
  • a pixel which is allowed to be part of either one of the color regions comprises one single stitch leading to a substantially higher definition of the various color regions and the pattern to be represented on or by a fabric, respectively.
  • each color-related tufting aspect instruction layer indicating those areas, i.e. those stitches to be carried out during the tufting process, in which a specific color-related tufting aspect instruction and therefore a specific color mixing value is to be provided.
  • Each one of these layers may be depicted on a monitor individually and separated from the other layers for allowing local corrections to be carried out, i.e. changes of the color mixing value and the associated color-related tufting yarn instruction, if necessary.
  • each yarn-related tufting aspect instruction layer showing regions in which a particular yarn-related tufting aspect instruction is to be used.
  • providing a plurality of such layers allows changes in particular areas to be carried out for substituting a previously assigned yarn-related tufting aspect instruction for another yarn-related tufting aspect instruction, if necessary.
  • assigning one single selected yarn-related tufting aspect instruction to each stitch to be carried out when tufting a fabric can be used for generating the tufting machine control file.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Materials Engineering (AREA)
  • Textile Engineering (AREA)
  • Automatic Embroidering For Embroidered Or Tufted Products (AREA)
  • Braiding, Manufacturing Of Bobbin-Net Or Lace, And Manufacturing Of Nets By Knotting (AREA)
  • Knitting Of Fabric (AREA)
  • Woven Fabrics (AREA)
  • Treatment Of Fiber Materials (AREA)
US16/332,941 2016-09-22 2017-09-07 Method of preparing a tufting process for tufting a fabric, preferably carpet Active 2037-10-21 US11124910B2 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP16190104 2016-09-22
EP16190104.6A EP3299502A1 (en) 2016-09-22 2016-09-22 Method of preparing a tufting process for tufting a fabric, preferably carpet
EP16190104.6 2016-09-22
PCT/EP2017/072410 WO2018054688A1 (en) 2016-09-22 2017-09-07 Method of preparing a tufting process for tufting a fabric, preferably carpet

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
US20190249347A1 US20190249347A1 (en) 2019-08-15
US11124910B2 true US11124910B2 (en) 2021-09-21

Family

ID=57003374

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US16/332,941 Active 2037-10-21 US11124910B2 (en) 2016-09-22 2017-09-07 Method of preparing a tufting process for tufting a fabric, preferably carpet

Country Status (10)

Country Link
US (1) US11124910B2 (zh)
EP (2) EP3299502A1 (zh)
CN (1) CN109642380B (zh)
AU (1) AU2017329461B2 (zh)
BE (1) BE1024627B1 (zh)
DK (1) DK3516102T3 (zh)
ES (1) ES2907979T3 (zh)
PL (1) PL3516102T3 (zh)
WO (1) WO2018054688A1 (zh)
ZA (1) ZA201900904B (zh)

Citations (13)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3067701A (en) 1959-07-31 1962-12-11 A & M Karagheusion Inc Apparatus for forming tufted patterns
US3220371A (en) 1962-08-17 1965-11-30 Callaway Mills Co Method of making textiles
US3338198A (en) * 1962-08-17 1967-08-29 Callaway Mills Co Pile fabric
US3850783A (en) * 1972-08-25 1974-11-26 Bigelow Sanford Inc Patterned rugs and carpets
US5058518A (en) * 1989-01-13 1991-10-22 Card-Monroe Corporation Method and apparatus for producing enhanced graphic appearances in a tufted product and a product produced therefrom
US6244203B1 (en) * 1996-11-27 2001-06-12 Tuftco Corp. Independent servo motor controlled scroll-type pattern attachment for tufting machine and computerized design system
US20010029877A1 (en) * 1996-11-27 2001-10-18 Morgante Michael R. Independent single end servo scroll pattern attachment for tufting machine and computerized design system
US20030091214A1 (en) * 2001-11-14 2003-05-15 Gould Dwayne Martin Computerized pattern texturing
GB2393454A (en) 1999-12-20 2004-03-31 Tuftco Corp Computerised control of tufting machine
US20080249794A1 (en) * 2006-12-29 2008-10-09 Bradford John P Systems and Methods of Designing, Simulating, Manufacturing and Marketing Tufted Materials
US20100106283A1 (en) * 2008-10-23 2010-04-29 Zazzle.Com, Inc. Embroidery System and Method
US20170260668A1 (en) * 2016-03-09 2017-09-14 Interface, Inc. Balancing yarn use in designing tufted patterns for textiles
US20180282928A1 (en) * 2015-09-28 2018-10-04 Nv Michel Van De Wiele Method of preparing a tufting process

Family Cites Families (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6228460B1 (en) * 1993-06-01 2001-05-08 Interface, Inc. Tufted articles and related processes
US20030123574A1 (en) * 2001-12-31 2003-07-03 Simeon Richard Corpuz System and method for robust tone detection
ATE522650T1 (de) * 2008-01-04 2011-09-15 Wilcom Pty Ltd Tuftingmaschine
CN102535059B (zh) * 2012-01-16 2013-08-21 斯马特（太原）技术发展有限公司 一种制造彩色簇绒产品的方法及其装置

Patent Citations (13)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3067701A (en) 1959-07-31 1962-12-11 A & M Karagheusion Inc Apparatus for forming tufted patterns
US3220371A (en) 1962-08-17 1965-11-30 Callaway Mills Co Method of making textiles
US3338198A (en) * 1962-08-17 1967-08-29 Callaway Mills Co Pile fabric
US3850783A (en) * 1972-08-25 1974-11-26 Bigelow Sanford Inc Patterned rugs and carpets
US5058518A (en) * 1989-01-13 1991-10-22 Card-Monroe Corporation Method and apparatus for producing enhanced graphic appearances in a tufted product and a product produced therefrom
US20010029877A1 (en) * 1996-11-27 2001-10-18 Morgante Michael R. Independent single end servo scroll pattern attachment for tufting machine and computerized design system
US6244203B1 (en) * 1996-11-27 2001-06-12 Tuftco Corp. Independent servo motor controlled scroll-type pattern attachment for tufting machine and computerized design system
GB2393454A (en) 1999-12-20 2004-03-31 Tuftco Corp Computerised control of tufting machine
US20030091214A1 (en) * 2001-11-14 2003-05-15 Gould Dwayne Martin Computerized pattern texturing
US20080249794A1 (en) * 2006-12-29 2008-10-09 Bradford John P Systems and Methods of Designing, Simulating, Manufacturing and Marketing Tufted Materials
US20100106283A1 (en) * 2008-10-23 2010-04-29 Zazzle.Com, Inc. Embroidery System and Method
US20180282928A1 (en) * 2015-09-28 2018-10-04 Nv Michel Van De Wiele Method of preparing a tufting process
US20170260668A1 (en) * 2016-03-09 2017-09-14 Interface, Inc. Balancing yarn use in designing tufted patterns for textiles

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
Written Opinion and International Search Report of PCT/EP2017/072410 dated Oct. 17, 2017, 14 pages.

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CN109642380A (zh) 2019-04-16
WO2018054688A1 (en) 2018-03-29
EP3516102B1 (en) 2022-02-09
ZA201900904B (en) 2020-09-30
BE1024627A1 (nl) 2018-05-03
AU2017329461B2 (en) 2019-12-05
BE1024627B1 (nl) 2018-05-07
AU2017329461A1 (en) 2019-02-21
EP3299502A1 (en) 2018-03-28
ES2907979T3 (es) 2022-04-27
DK3516102T3 (da) 2022-05-09
EP3516102A1 (en) 2019-07-31
US20190249347A1 (en) 2019-08-15
PL3516102T3 (pl) 2022-05-16
CN109642380B (zh) 2022-05-27

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US7921789B2 (en) Carpet and method of making same
US6908656B2 (en) Orthogonally ambiguous carpet tile
US8798781B2 (en) Method and system for converting an image to a color-reduced image mapped to embroidery thread colors
JP2022500571A (ja) 装飾的パターンに視覚効果を提供するための制御ユニットおよび方法
US11124910B2 (en) Method of preparing a tufting process for tufting a fabric, preferably carpet
CN107345331A (zh) 数码提花机织物多基色分区混色模型的构建及其应用方法
CA2422840C (en) Method and plant for the production of images with high resolution in a jacquard fabrics
CN108138413B (zh) 准备簇绒过程的方法
US10954617B2 (en) Method of preparing a tufting process for tufting fabric, in particular carpet
US20110023992A1 (en) Thread feeding method, warp thread feeding method, thread feeder and weaving method
US20060251846A1 (en) Orthogonally ambiguous carpet tile
WO2006045135A1 (en) Producing fibre images in textiles
JP5163854B2 (ja) 写真風タオル織物及び写真風タオル織物の製織方法
TW538157B (en) Method for knitting a double or two-layered woven fabric with embossed patterns of dual color images
CN113373582A (zh) 数字化原始图像而织成数字图像的方法

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
AS Assignment

Owner name: NV MICHEL VAN DE WIELE, BELGIUM

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:CALLEWAERT, KOEN;REEL/FRAME:048584/0810

Effective date: 20190219

FEPP Fee payment procedure

Free format text: ENTITY STATUS SET TO UNDISCOUNTED (ORIGINAL EVENT CODE: BIG.); ENTITY STATUS OF PATENT OWNER: LARGE ENTITY

AS Assignment

Owner name: VANDEWIELE NV, BELGIUM

Free format text: CHANGE OF NAME;ASSIGNOR:NV MICHEL VAN DE WIELE;REEL/FRAME:050068/0004

Effective date: 20190227

STPP Information on status: patent application and granting procedure in general

Free format text: DOCKETED NEW CASE - READY FOR EXAMINATION

STPP Information on status: patent application and granting procedure in general

Free format text: NON FINAL ACTION MAILED

STPP Information on status: patent application and granting procedure in general

Free format text: FINAL REJECTION MAILED

STPP Information on status: patent application and granting procedure in general

Free format text: ADVISORY ACTION MAILED

STPP Information on status: patent application and granting procedure in general

Free format text: NON FINAL ACTION MAILED

STPP Information on status: patent application and granting procedure in general

Free format text: RESPONSE TO NON-FINAL OFFICE ACTION ENTERED AND FORWARDED TO EXAMINER

STPP Information on status: patent application and granting procedure in general

Free format text: NOTICE OF ALLOWANCE MAILED -- APPLICATION RECEIVED IN OFFICE OF PUBLICATIONS

STCF Information on status: patent grant

Free format text: PATENTED CASE